Connecticut western news., 1887-11-09
CORMORANT FISHING
How the Japanese Fish at Night
 With Birds.
A Peculiar Scene in a Mountain
 Stream of Japan.


 Stream of Japan.
 At the fifth annual congress of the American Ornitholo 2 3ists' Union in Bos ton, one of the papers read was particu- larly interesting. 1t was by Pierre Louis Juoy, who went to Japan on aa government scientific mission for the E -Natioaslas@useum, and who related as follows his story of a nights fishing with a cosmorant:
 ''In the clear mountain streams of central Japan there is found peculiar fish of the family Salmonid@ This fish, the 'ai' of the Japanese, is something between smelt and trout in appear ance, grows to length of twelve to fourteen inches, and is bright silvery in color, with a golden spot on each should CT. It is very delicate in flavor, and is much prized for the table. In a coun- try celebrated for the variety and ex- celence of Its fish, this species holds the highest place and commands the best price in the market. Many ingenious methods are employed for its capture, among tho most interesting of which is the use of cormorants., We are all familiar with the stories of cormorant fishing in China, where the fisherman has his birds trained to obey call-notc or whistle, and where they sit around the edge of the boat and go and return to and from tho water like a we'll trained spaniel, but comorant fishing in rapid mountain stream is quite diff ferent thing from fishing in sluggish, muddy river in China, and I believe that the Japanese methods are quite un- known, being carried on at night and in remote and out of-th-way places.
 'I made a journey of about twenty five miles from Tokio to small river, the Ban lgawa, on purpose to witness this interesting and, to me, novel sight. It was bright moonlight night, said to be a lad night for fishing, 2 cloudy or dull evening being preferred, as the fish are then not so active. The river con- sisted of two branches running very swiftly, and each from twenty to fifty yards wide, but in flood time it ex- tended over space of 200 yards or more, running between high bluffs.
 ss1fsha I sha man Hith his bird Nsiting for us on the stoney bed of the river with his torch of pine fat burning brightly The bird was very tame and sat perched on rock close by. A cord was tied pretty and tightly around the lower part of the throat and between the shoulders, from which was attached piece of bamboo (having swivel at each end) long enough to extend beyond the birds wings and prevent fouling of the cord while the bird was in the water. l The man carried basket at his side to put the fish in, and sort of apron Tn | front to hold pine chips for the light. | The lantern was wire cage or basket placed on the end of long bamboo pole. | This with the cord attached to the bird, which gives him range of about twenty feet, is held in the left hand, the right being employed in guiding the bird, re- plenishiug the fire, and taking the fish. "Evcrything being ready, the fisher man takes the torch in hisleft hand and, clasping tho cord to which tho bird it attached, wades out into the stream, the bird following him, and after perform ing nasty toilet, dipping his head and neck in the water, and preening himself begins the business of the night. TRc fisherman holds the fire directly in froht and above the birds head, so that it can sec the fish in. the clear water. The bird seems to be perfectly fearless, and, as he comes un sparks of fire are constantly l falling on his head and back. The fish ing is done upstream, the man finding it all he can do to keep pace with the bird as the water surges up nearly to his waist. In fact, it was hard work for us on shore to scramble along among the rocks in the uncertain light and watch the bird at the same time.
 ''The Lird dives, swims under water for eight or ten yards, comes up and is down again, working very rapidly and constantly taking fish. When the fishes are small, the bird is allowed to retain two or three in his throat at time, but fair-sized fish is immediately taken from him and put into the basket. Dur- ing space of half an hour fifteen fishes were taken, which was pronounced q good catch, considering the brightness; of the night. The largest of these fishes, which were all of the same species, were nine to ten inches in length, and, having been taken immediately from the bcak of the bird, were scarcely bruised. The largest and best of these we had the next morning for breakfast; the others we gave to our friend, the cormorant, who was kindly assisted by his master to get them past the cord, which constricted his throat so that he could not other wise have swallowed.
 ''The birds arc trained especially for the work and do not fish in the day timc Our bird was two years old, and was considered very bright and active fisher, having on good nights, fishing all night, caught as many as 400 fishes. Three hundrcl was considered fair nights work. Only calm nights arc available, and the darker the better"